Method of making locks



April 3, 1934. E. P. HURD 1,953,535

METHOD OF MAKING LOCKS Filed NOV. 19, 1931 Z f INVENTOR.

i Edwi/r P. yuigdf l J' J ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 umrss srass FIE 4 Ciaims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a lock and has for its object the provision of a lock provided v 'th tumbler pins and so constructed and arranged that the lock may be fitted to an individual key with a minimum amount of effort.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lock having a tumbler locking arrangement whereby the tumbler pins may be inserted in the look while uniform in length and after insertion in the lock formed into tumbler pins of varying lengths.

Another object of the invention is a method of forming tumbler pins on a lock into pins of varying lengths after the same have been arranged in their various positions in the lock.

Another object of the invention is the provision of lock tumbler pins having a plurality of lines of separation determined thereon so that an easy 20 separation of the pin into separate parts at the predetermined location may be effected.

Another object of the invention is the depositing of tumbler pins into a locking mechanism and subsequently to the depositing of the same, shearing said pins into separate parts while contained in the locking mechanism.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention Will be best understood from a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification and in which,

Fig. 1 is longitudinal, central, sectional view of a lock showing the invention in use,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a tumbler pin used in the invention,

Fig. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating relative axial movement of the lock parts for effecting the shearing,

Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view illustrating rotative relative movement of the lock parts for effecting a shearing,

Fig. 6 is a semi-diagrammatic View illustrating a spiral movement for effecting the shearing operation.

In the drawing I have illustrated the invention used with a lock mechanism embodying a body '7 in which a key plug 8 is rotatably mounted, a construction which is common to looks of a certain 5 type. Radial passages 9 are formed in the key plug 8 in alignment with radial passages 10 formed in the body '7. These passages form the tumbler pin chambers. A seal plug 11 is mounted in the outer end of the passage 10 to serve as closure for the tumbler pin chamber and also as an abutment against which one end of the spring 12 engages. The opposite end of the spring engages the upper tumbler pin which is positioned in the chamber and serves to maintain this upper tumbler pin in engagement with the lower tumbler pin in the same chamber.

In common practice, as now carried on, the upper and lower tumbler pins used in the lock are of various lengths, so that in assembling the lock, the assembler must select the various sizes of pins which are to be inserted in the specific tumbler chambers. This practice requires the manufacture of a large number of sizes of tumbler pins, the stocking up with a large quantity of these pins and involves considerable labor in the assembling operation. Where it is desired to fit a lock to a certain type of key a large quantity of cylinders embodying the body and the key plug must be carried in stock, so as to have on hand the tumbler pin variation desired. These objectionable features are all avoided with the present invention and the advantage of a tumbler pin lock which may be fitted to an individual key is provided.

In fabricating the invention the tumbler pins are all preferably manufactured uniform as to size and shape and comprise a body 13 having lines of separation 14, 15. and 16 marked thereon to determine the sections or parts 1'7, 18 and 19. The number of parts or sections may be varied as desired, depending upon the nature of the structure with which used, and the lines of separation are indicated by scoring which is the preferable manner of forming.

The separation of the pins into sections to provide the upper and lower tumbler pins in each pin chamber is preferably accomplished by shearing and in Fig. 4 I have illustrated this shearing operation by a relative axial movement of the key plug and the body, while in Fig. 5 I have illustrated the shearing operation by a relative rotation of these parts. In Fig. 6 I have indi cated that the shearing operation may be effected by a spiral movement relatively of the body and the key plug.

After the key plug 8 and the body are assembled the tumbler pins, which are of uniform length, preferably, are inserted into the pin chambers and the springs 12 and sealing plugs 11 are then properly located. The key shank 20, provided with the notches or hitting 21 is then inserted into the keyway 23. There is such a co-ordination between the width of the sections or parts of the tumbler pins, the length of the radial passages and the depth of the notches that when the key is inserted the predetermined lines of sepaartion will register with the line of separation between the key plug and the 'body. Since the notches 21 will not all be of the same depth it is obvious that the pins will be so located that different lines of separation will be brought into registration with the outer ends of the passages 9. The key plug and the body 7 are then moved relatively to each other in the direction desired and determined upon, by the use of suitable tools or machinery, to shear the tumbler pins into separated parts and thus provide in each of the chambers the upper and lower tumbler pins. By having the inclined surface 22 a clean shearing or break will always result.

In this way it becomes possible to fit a tumbler lock to an individual key and the various advantages as to economy, simplicity and ease of assembly previously pointed out are obtained.

It is believed obvious that when the key is removed after the shearing operation the tumbler pins will move into such a position as to lock the key plug and the body against relative rotation, and that the lines of shearing of all of the plugs will not register with the line of separation between the key plug and the body unless they are elevated to the proper position by the proper key.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of providing a tumbler pin lock having a body and key plug movably mounted therein and provided with tumbler pin chambers adapted for registration with tumbler pin chambers in the body, with tumbler pins consisting in depositing one-piece tumbler pins in the chambers and fracturing said pins into separate parts by relative movement of said body and said key plug.

2. The method of providing a tumbler pin lock, having a body and a key plug movably mounted therein and provided with tumbler chambers adapted for registration with tumbler pin chambers in the body, with tumbler pins consisting in depositing one-piece tumbler pins in the chambers, inserting means into said key plug for maintaining said pins in different radial positions relatively to said key plug and then fracturing said pins into separate parts by a relative movement of said body and said key plug.

3. The method of providing a tumbler pin lock, having a body and a key plug movably mounted therein and provided with tumbler pin chambers adapted for registration with tumbler pin chambers in the body, with tumbler pins of varying lengths consisting in inserting in each of the chambers a one-piece tumbler pin of sufiicient length to project into the key plug and the body, inserting means in the key plug for engaging the inner ends of the tumblers and maintaining the same at various positions radially of the key plug and shearing the pins into separate parts by relative movement of the body and the key plug.

4. The method of fitting tumbler pins to a key in a tumbler pin lock having a body and a key plug movably mounted therein and provided with tumbler pin chambers adapted for registration with tumbler pin chambers in the body consisting in inserting in each of the chambers a one-piece tumbler pin of sufficient length to project into the key plug and body and engage the key bit, and while in such engagement moving by means of the key, the key plug relatively to the body and shearing the pins into separated parts for permitting relative rotation of the key plug and the body.

EDWIN P. HURD. 

